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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),
the body responsible for facilitating ICT growth for development in
Nigeria has completed its assignment on the nation's ICT for development
(ICT4D) strategy/plan. This was the outcome of the final technical
meeting involving the key resource persons working on the document
Tuesday, 17th June, 2008 at NITDA's headquarters in Abuja.

The national ICT4D plan is targeted at using ICT to achieve the
government's Seven Point Agenda and "Vision 20: 2020," thereby deploying
ICT to achieve Nigeria's Millennial Development Goals, NEPAD development
initiatives and the World Summit on Information Society's plan of
action. It contains actionable programs for short-, medium- and
long-term implementation by identified stakeholders (in conjunction with
local and/or international private organizations).

Specific sectors with ICT plan actions, strategies for implementation
and timelines include education, agriculture, health, e-government,
infrastructure, human resources, research and development, legal and
regulatory framework, national security and law enforcement, legislature
and governance, IT popularization and deployment in communities, and the
private sector development cluster (which covers trade and commerce,
banking, tourism, the service sector, industrial sector development, and
local and foreign direct investment, amongst others).

Commenting at the final meeting of experts, Professor C.O. Angaye,
director-general of NITDA, stated that he is satisfied with the document
and that the next stage will be to present the plan to the minister of
science and technology for onward presentation to the president and the
Federal Executive Council. He promised the committee of experts all
necessary machinery has been put in place to facilitate the immediate
implementation of the plan.

The chairman of the national committee, Dr. Takang Armstrong, also
thanked the experts for their cooperation and input regarding the
successful completion of the national assignment. He reiterated the need
to create awareness for the document and facilitate support for
implementation by all MDAs, states and other stakeholders.

Dr. Moses Ubaru - coordinator of the ICT4D development activities and
director of planning, research and statistics for NITDA - noted the
timeliness of the Nigerian ICT4D Strategic Action Plan's completion, as
the present administration is seeking ways of mainstreaming ICT4D in
"Vision 20: 2020." Moreover, he advised that NITDA work very closely
with the National Planning Commission to ensure that the final ICT4D
document serves as the working document for ICT4D in "Vision 20: 2020."

On the part of the ECA consultant, Prof. Clement Dzidonu, who has
supervised work on ICT4D over the past four years, called the plan the
most comprehensive ICT4D document in the whole of Africa, capable of
moving the Nigerian economy to the next level.

What
Do you Have to Say? Post
Your Comments about this content resource Here.

Well done NITDA and congratulations Prof Angaye. Without
pre-empting the details of the plan, I hope the plan will be
decoded to produce a very clear, implementable and monitorable
implementation blueprint that will detail all the programmes,
projects, resources required and targets. Such will make it easy
for other stakeholders to clearly key into the plan.
Furthermore, I must comment that partnerships is very crucial to
avoid generation of institutional rivalries, duplications and
ineffective coordination. All these have been the reasons why we
waste resources and waste the opportunities to practically make
progress.

Good luck!.

July 22, 2008

Abdullahi Abdullahi Kabomo from Bakori Lga, Katsina State says:

I will like commend you on your efforts to actualize Nigeria vision
2020 to became one of the twenty top economies in world and use ICTs
as tools and instruments to achieve this. We are proud of the
plan.

July 7, 2008

Dele Oloniyo
from Abuja, Nigeria says:

Good planning is needed in ICT for development to achieve the
elusive vision 20:20. It is remarkable to note that God has
blessed Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources but
deployment of these resources to achieve desired development and
greatness is a challenge that must be tackled with sincerity and
purpose. Our leaders must be told that this plan must not rot
away in the cooler of our NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

July 2, 2008

Dan Ebi
from Warri, Delta State says:

Good resource people used. But we wait to see what it will be
like. We hope it will be realistic and not just another paper
work.